What a wonderful time to gather with loved ones to reflect upon our lives and give thanks for the many blessings we've received throughout the year! We have so much to be thankful for... our abiding faith, an incredible love and marriage, fantastic friends and family, good health, a comfortable home, exciting jobs, and a healthy sense of adventure paired with excellent opportunities for world travel! God is so good and we can hardly believe what an amazing life we have!
We love working and living overseas, but it is very tough being away from our closest friends and family, especially during special occasions and holidays. We love you all, are so very thankful for you, and miss you terribly!!! Lucky for us, we'll be on our way to seeing most of you in a week- hooray for month long winter holidays!
Despite residing in the middle of a desert, we enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings! Close to 30 of us gathered together at the Bernston's villa (same complex where I lived as a tot) to celebrate. Everyone contributed a dish or two. I made leek and potato gratin, pumpkin bars, and mashed potatoes with LOTS of butter- delicious, but disastrous for my clothing! Melted butter ran down the length of my shirt and skirt as I carried the bowl. Darn you, sneaky butter and ineffective recycled tin foil! I smelled like I was baking all night! Oh well... still thankful! We feasted and feasted and feasted some more... a bunch of little Thanksgiving piggies=). Oink, oink! (I abashedly admit I am still miserably full) Besides enjoying the food, we had a great time catching up with everyone and just lounging around with the post-turkey sleepies.
Wednesday was a whirl-wind day in my class. The kids finished their Thanksgiving projects, baked pumpkin bars, AND participated in the elementary holiday concert! Whew! I get tired just thinking about it. For their Thanksgiving project, the kiddos made their own garland of paper leaves. On each leaf, they wrote about something they were thankful for. When completed, each child had an adorable garland to keep, and use as decoration for some lucky wall or table in their home. Reading over the students' writing was such a treat- so many precious and entertaining statements! I just couldn't resist sharing some of my favorite leaves (a variety of heart-warming and hilarious) with you...
Of course, any child who wrote about me got extra credit! ;)
My favorite! The little girl who wrote this is such a sweet and gentle child. She clearly does not like bugs and truly appreciates her canine companion for his ability to rid her home of creepy crawlers.
In case you can't read the leaf, he is thankful for his birthday because it is in between the Ides of March and St. Patrick's Day. I didn't help him with that at all. Too funny!
Some finished products
Just a little taste! Making some cream cheese frosting for our pumpkin bars
That afternoon we went to the Ridley's for a wine and cheese gathering with the ASD art department. It was just a short stop off for us, as Isaac had 2 softball games that night. I wasn't sure if my senses were playing tricks on me, but I thought I kept hearing thunder in the distance, and maybe even spotted a flash of lightning. Just as the guys were getting ready to take the field for their second game, it started to sprinkle. Within minutes there was definite thunder and lightning, and the sky seemed to open up and pour on us! Gumball-sized raindrops plummeted down on us at rapid speed, so obviously the game was canceled. We all huddled underneath the cover of the bleachers, hoping to avoid the windy spray from the downpour, to no avail. The storm had moved directly over us, and the thunder exploded overhead, with flashes of lightning illuminating the sky. We decided to make a run for the car, as the storm didn't seem to be letting up, and the thought of our car getting stuck in a flooded sandlot was less than appealing. In our mad dash from the field to the car we got totally soaked! Even by Oregon standards, this was an impressive rainstorm! We drove home with wet hair plastered to our heads, and damp clothing clinging uncomfortably close. Given the way most people drive here, we opted to avoid the freeway, and took Al Wasl and Beach roads. Al Wasl had lanes completely underwater by the time we made it (amazing how fast water backs up when there is no drainage system!). By the time we reached the Burj al Arab, the rain had let up, and Barsha showed no signs of precipitation at all- bizarre! Despite half an hour of wet, sticky discomfort, I couldn't complain, because we got home much earlier than if we stayed for the second game, which meant more time snuggled up in cozy pj's=).
Hazard lights are extremely popular here! People turn them on for any traffic condition- quick stop, rain, fog, seemingly no reason... Too funny!
The right lane of this stretch of Al Wasl was flooded
1 comments:
Happy Thanksgiving! The project you did with the children is absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing their beautiful messages in such photographic brilliance.
You guys look so happy together too and I loved the rain photographs at the end with the pair of you looking very much ready for a snuggle up!
Have a wonderful Christmas break and hopefully you'll get a chance to post some photos of your celebrations from home (though I know when ever I visit the UK I'm often far too busy catching up on a couple of years of conversation to turn on the computer much!).
Best wishes and safe travels,
Sarah
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